The Irish standard., 1887-12-31
q 57g3S N
MIR ACULO LOUSlY SAVED.

MlRsACULOUSLYa SAVED.
IA Terrible Cs1a nifty Avertod by tho
Breaking Down Of . Locomotive. slsss .s.3ss
I have brother who Is now IN the
| grocery business in Richmond, Va.,
but be was for eleven years q dis
/ patcher on & Southern road. He is q
sober, guick-witted and industrious
man, but although he is. only thirty
SIX years old, his hair is almost as
white as snow, and there are times
when the cold sweat stands on his
forehead and he trembles like a leaf.
When he was a dispatcher, one
warm afternoon in August be was FAM
ming himself and trying, without
meeting with much success, to counter
act the effects of the hot winds, which
sometimes blew in that part of the
country, in addition to the intense
heat from the sun, which shone on the
awning overhanging his window. He
had been closely confined to the Office
for many months and the constant
strain had probably wearied both body
and mind. At any rate he had sent an
order for an express train to meet q
special, ON which were q number Of
officers Of the road, at q certain sta-
.ion; then, by one of those unaccounta-
BILE slips sometimes made by the most
well-trained and careful minds, ordered
the special TO a station by the meeting
point. He took his finger from
the key and his eyes from the train
sheet, and again began to fan HIM
self vigorously and allowed his mind
TO wander at will. 4 few minutes af~
terward, more from force of habit than
from any other reason, his eyes were
cast over the train sheet. Like flash
OF lightning, almost at the instant he
saw his mistake He seized the key
and IVES about to correct it, when be
realized to mis- horror that it was too
hate. Both trains had been reported
rs having passed their stations several
minutes before and were now fast maxi
ing toward each other at not less than
forty miles all hour. When the GER
tain result OF his fearful blunder fully
dawned upon him, he tried to get up,
but his limbs were numb and retused
to fulfill their functions. AS he ex-
pressed ii, lac saw ths two trains as
they were rapidly approaching each
other; saw them but mile apart, with
their precious loads of human freight.
He knew every inch Of the road, aud
knew that where they must meet there
was a high wall of rock Oh one side
and deep rayine on the other; knew
that g. horrible death awaited in an
ether instant almost two-rhirds Of the
passengers Of both trains. for it was
ON curve, where the engineers could
mot see each other until it would be too
late, then a mist came before his eyes,
and, as he almost tainted, he saw in
his minds eye, the crash Of the two
engines, aud telescoped cars roll over
the embankment and piled in great
heap, Loud above the Kissing steam
ne heard the cries of the dying. He
tainted away.
When he recovered consciousness he
heard his call on the line. With al-
most y superhuman effort be arose and
answered. The operator at the sta
zion to which he sent che order to the
special then told him that the engine
et the special had broken down us it
was pulling out and he wanted further
orders. Hold it!' he flashed back.
and mountain rolled off his mind.
In another moment. when he had time
TO collect his thoughts. he attempted
to go to window, but found that his
limbs were numb and the cold sweat
was standing on his hands and fore
head. There was also g strange sting
ing sensation at the roots of has hair.
as though some ONO was pricking him
on the head with many needles. That
night when he left the office and with
great effort walked home his vita
jokingly asked him what he had put on
his hair. Upon looking into the glass
he was horritied to see hat it had in
those few moments become almost as
white as snow.
He resigned his position next day
without giving cause for so doing.
Often since then he has told me that
money could not hire him to again ac-
eept q position as train dispatcher.-
Paizadelphia News.
HANDSOME AFRICANS.
Kew tha Eanga,a Women Ornament Their
Arms and Shoultaers